The Šilutė fire station

The current location of the Šilutė fire station was once the lowest and swampiest place in the town of Šilokarčema (Šilutė). In spring and autumn, the streets became impassable, so carts were pulled through the swamp by oxen. At this place, a three-span stone bridge was built to allow the flood water to flow through. After embankments were erected on the banks of the Šyša, the bridge ended up 2 meters underground. In 1897, a team of volunteer firefighters was established in Šilutė County. Hugo Scheu, the owner of the Šilutė Estate, donated a plot of land to the town, where the building of the fire station was built (now 22 Lietuvininkų St.) in 1911. The fire station garage was installed on the ground floor, and the administration was located on the first floor. The fire brigade was made up of volunteers, and the chief of the team, the fire master, was the county construction engineer. The firemen had one hand pump and four horses. The fire station building is a monument of architecture and history: it is a one-story plastered brick building with a mezzanine; and stone and brick base.  The curb roof is of joist structure, tiled and slated. It is a modern-style building with reserved decor characteristic of Klaipėda region.